Ruota della Fortuna: Wheel of Fortune
Verse
“From beyond the light
a vision appears
of the living mechanism
whose perpetual motion brings about the turns of fate.
Its prophecy reveals moments of triumph
that usher us toward destruction
and back again,
the chaos within the cosmos,
and the intricate connection of all things.
It calls upon us to accept our destiny
and take the wheel.”
Keywords
Upright: Upward reversal of fortune. Turning points. Inevitability. Destiny. Trust the universe. Karma. Vision. Enlightenment. Universal connection.
Reversed: Downward reversal of fortune. Resistance to change. Negative cycles. Regaining control.
Correspondences
Planet: Jupiter
Aroma: Thyme and Vetiver
Description
The X’s of the minor arcana are all about completion, renewal, and the beginning and end of a cycle. Key X, the Wheel of Fortune, is the more literal embodiment of that concept. It represents a major turning point in the Fool’s journey as well as the perpetual motion of life. It is the vision the Hermit saw in their meditative state. In the Hermetic Tarot, it is known as the “Lord of the Forces of Life.” Classically, it is a card full of symbolism and possibilities. I spoke a bit about my relationship with it a while ago in this post, but I still feel a very strong connection to it.
The Wheel is composed of 3 rings which from the center outward represent creative force, formative power, and the material world. The 8 spokes on the Wheel represent the 8 sabbats or cycle of the year. The arrows on the end are representative of the chaos within the cosmos. The wings represent the positive and negative forces that keep the wheel spinning, but also provide the stability to keep it rotating in the right direction. The four gems represent the four suits, the four worlds, and the four cardinal directions. The constellations in each corner are those of the fixed set, Aquarius, Scorpio, Taurus, and Leo, another symbol of stability and permanence. At the center of the wheel is the solar cross. The colors are reminiscent of sunrise and sunset.
In a reading, this card may at first be vexing. It is representative of a reversal of fortunes, turning points, and inevitability. These open-ended concepts sometimes make it hard to interpret without the context of the other cards in a spread. It may appear to reflect a lack of control over your circumstances, the universe has the wheel so to speak, but your fate is always ultimately up to you. It’s up to you how you handle the changes life throws at you. Upright, it does reflect that a positive reversal of fortune could be coming your way. Trust the universe to give you what you need. It is also representative of karma and may represent that the energy you put into the world will be coming back to you. In its purest and most potent form, the Wheel of Fortune reflects enlightenment and vision. It may represent a deep realization or change in perspective that alters your perception of the universe. It is a reminder that everything is connected. It is an invitation from the universe to live your life as your highest self. Destiny is calling.
The reversed may represent a downturn of the wheel or a negative reversal of fortunes. Now is the time to take control of your life in order to spin the wheel the other way. It may also reflect resistance to change. Accept that change is inevitable and make the adjustments you need in order to cope. The internal interpretation of this card is that you are ready to break free of a negative cycle that has been holding you back. You may have recently hit rock bottom, or simply had a deep realization about what you want in life.
Design
This is one of my favorite cards because of how packed with symbolism it is. You can find a description of each of the symbols below. Ezekiel’s vision from the bible has always fascinated me and this is my take on it, the wheel within the wheel held up by dealing wings perpetually pushing it towards darkness and light. I chose to represent the zodiac signs with constellations instead of creatures to stay on theme with the rest of the deck. The colors represent the rising and setting sun, another perpetual cycle. The four gems are in their corresponding cardinal direction placements, pentacles pointing true north. They float independently of the wheel because they never change.
Key Symbols
The Wheel: inspired by Ezekiel’s vision of the wheel and four living creatures (the four fixed signs)
X: The roman numeral for 10 resembles an hourglass, which also fits the theme of cycles. Everything that ends begins again.
Constellations: Represent the four fixed signs, Scorpio, Leo, Taurus, and Aquarius
Gems: one for each of the four tarot suits, as well as the cardinal directions.
Wings: traditionally represent how the wheel rights itself and stays steady. One angel wing and one devil wing represent the ups and downs of the wheel.
Color Theory
For this card instead of sticking to the traditional color meanings I wanted to represent the rising and setting sun with color.
Tarot Spread
